Title

Author

Date of Award

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. Ralph K. Steinhaus

Second Advisor

Dr. Michael McCarville

Third Advisor

Dr. James A. Howell

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The reaction between copper(II) and N -(2-hydroxyethyl)iminodiacetatonickelate( II) (NiHEIDA) was studied between pH 4.0 and 5.6 over a 70 fold variation in copper concentration at an ionic strength of 1.25 and a temperature of 25° C. The reaction order in both NiHEIDA and Cu(U) is first. The reaction rate is pH sensitive and a hydrogen dependent pathway as w ell as copper dependent and copper and hydrogen independent pathways were found.

Evidence is given for a stepwise mechanism for the unwrapping of HEIDA from its nickel complex, follow ed by copper attack to give a dinuclear intermediate, which then breaks up to products. The first-order copper rate constant can be predicted from the stability of the dinuclear intermediate. No pronounced effect could be assigned to the hydroxyethyl segment of HEIDA reacting with either the incoming copper ion or the leaving nickel ion.